U.s. Health Care System Is 'dysfunctional Mess,' Prominent Federal Ethicist Says

[allan]

U.S. health care system is 'dysfunctional mess,' prominent federal ethicist says

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

CHICAGO - The U.S. health care system is "a dysfunctional mess" and politicians who insist otherwise look ignorant, according to a medical journal essay by a prominent ethicist at the National Institutes of Health.

"If a politician declares that the United States has the best health care system in the world today, he or she looks clueless rather than patriotic or authoritative," Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel wrote in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association.

Emanuel, who supports sweeping health care reform, said the U.S. spends $6,000 (euro4,431) per person per year on health care, an amount that is more than 16 percent of the nation's gross domestic product and more than any other country.

He also said Americans' average life expectancy of 78 ranks 45th in the world, behind Bosnia and Jordan. And the U.S. infant death rate is 6.37 per 1,000 live births, higher than that of most developed nations.

President George W. Bush frequently has said Americans have the world's best health care system, but Emanuel stopped short of calling Bush clueless in his essay and during an interview with The Associated Press.

"I work for the federal government. You can't possibly get me to make that statement," Emanuel said in the interview.

Emanuel's proposal involves phasing out the federal health care plans Medicaid and Medicare and employer-sponsored health insurance. Under his plan, all Americans would get a basic package of insurance, would choose their insurance carrier and could buy upgraded coverage. The program would be funded by a value-added tax of about 10 percent on businesses.

Democrats and Republicans alike have made the "world's best" claim. Democrat John Kerry did so when he ran for president in 2004, as did Republican Rudy Giuliani on the presidential campaign trail this year.

David Hogberg, senior policy analyst at the National Center for Public Policy Research, said a strong case can be made that the U.S. health care system is the best.

"It depends on what measures you use," Hogberg said. Life expectancy is influenced by many factors other than health care, he said, and nations measure infant death rates inconsistently. Other measures show the United States performing well, he said.

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On the Net:

JAMA: http://jama.ama-assn.org

[SLEDGE]

"David Hogberg, senior policy analyst at the National Center for Public Policy Research, said a strong case can be made that the U.S. health care system is the best.

"It depends on what measures you use," Hogberg said. Life expectancy is influenced by many factors other than health care, he said, and nations measure infant death rates inconsistently. Other measures show the United States performing well, he said."

Translation:

It all depends on how creatively you cook the books and/or lie to the public from high places.

sledge

[allan]

>It all depends on how creatively you cook the books and/or lie to the public from high places.

Hello Sledge,

Very true.

Sure puts a spin on the phrase........."WE GOT IT"!

I hope this nation never again, experiences such pride in it's actions, when it comes to the treatment of it's troops & their families.

My best to you Sledge.

[Jay Johnson]

Ask a doctor from another country with universal health care just how good America's system is....to them, we are a complete joke.

The world health organization (WHO), and several other groups, have all put our health care system at around average, at best, or among the worst (depending on the group doing the study and "how" they measured the health care systems). The long and short of this is that the US DOES have the greatest health care in the world, but only for those who can afford to pay for high-end health care out-of-pocket, because the best doctors do not accept insurance. For the rest of us, health care is very dependent on luck....some areas have fairly good health care systems and some don't; it's really hit or miss.

Now, the sad part about our system is that is is ALREADY government run. EVERY business gets government kick-backs (in the form of tax breaks) to furnish their employees with health care. So, in essence, we already pay for our "private" system with tax payer money. But, conservatives like the idea of profit above all else, so our current system allows individuals to get rich off of tax payer money and gives them more companies in which to invest their already inflated bank accounts.

The solution is simple - we need a REAL universal health care system! If we were to give EVERY American health insurance (in one form or another...perhaps something like tricare, but less sucky) it would likely drive taxes up minimally, because our incomes should increase due to the lowered burden on businesses to provide the insurance (which can cost a business over $5/hr per employee).

Also, I would do away with the VA health care system ALL together (as well as medicare, tricare, etc). With EVERYONE being covered there would be no need for the bloated bureaucracies.......The VA would consist of ONLY a compensation department at that point, which would SLASH their costs by billions (which could go to deserving veterans).

One more note - a universal system should be based on income level (as to copays and such). Someone making over 500K/yr should, basically, be paying their entire medical bill (short of catastrophic claims); whereas, someone making 20K/yr should have little, or no, copays. A system like this would end up costing the average American very little because many folks currently covered would actually be paying more for insurance, but most Americans would end up paying less.

But, this will NEVER happen because it makes entirely too much sense and it take profits from the rich. Our government is nothing more than a puppet for corporate greed, so I don't expect any legislation, anytime soon, that actually HELPS Americans.

Perhaps if people actually paid attention when they voted this kind of thing could happen......

[Pete53]

What is so very sad to me is that people who have health insurance are in for a real shock when they try to use it. Yes these are the same people who do not want to share with others.

Not only would Universal Health Care in America save a lot of money it would provide better care for 10's of Millions, preventative care for all who wanted it and actually bail out many of the big American Companies who are drowing due to the high cost of employee and retired health plans promise years ago.

[Jay Johnson]

What is so very sad to me is that people who have health insurance are in for a real shock when they try to use it. Yes these are the same people who do not want to share with others.

Not only would Universal Health Care in America save a lot of money it would provide better care for 10's of Millions, preventative care for all who wanted it and actually bail out many of the big American Companies who are drowing due to the high cost of employee and retired health plans promise years ago.

Sadly, the highlighted portion is the ONLY reason we'll ever see universal health care....democracy doesn't work when a select few (the rich) have a hugely disproportionate say in public policy:-( When the rich start to hurt, due to private insurance, you'll see a change in public policy......